Belly Buds are head phones for babies; the hook is the babies listen to music and voices through these headphones in the womb. Entrepreneur Curtis Williams got the idea for BellyBuds when his then pregnant wife read somewhere that audio stimulation for babies in utero helped develop sound and voice recognition patterns. She put her iPod ear buds on her belly. The baby heard the music, but she couldn’t move around, so Curtis developed Belly Buds so she could.
Mr. Williams enlisted the help of Matt Von Waaden to create a fastening mechanism. Essentially, BellyBuds are a speaker system for the womb. You can talk to the baby or play soothing music. The fasteners keep everything in place, so you can walk around with tunes playing. The product’s been featured on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” and “Modern Family” and it has a lot of “buzz” from appearing on Katie Couric’s show and The Today Show.
My Take on Belly Buds
I remember going to see Handel’s Messiah at the Boston Symphony Orchestra when my wife was 6 months pregnant with our first daughter. Throughout the performance, the baby was very active. After that, we’d play the stereo for the baby every night and I’d sing to her throughout the day. Each time she heard music or my voice, she’d start kicking and squirming around (I said she was dancing). 21 years later, she’s still dancing! I haven’t read all the research, but I am inclined to agree that a little music and audio stimulation for a fetus is a good thing.
I think BellyBuds is a product that mommies-to-be will devour. In an unscientific survey of moms waiting at swim practice, they thought it would sell well and could be a “baby shower standard” gift. One mom, who designs medical devices, reiterated the Belly Buds claims of auditory benefits for fetuses but she did caution against playing music too loud. Another mom thought they should have them at kiosks for pregnant women to try. Overall consensus among moms: Belly Buds is a winner!
Will the Sharks Face the Music?
Belly Buds is definitely a unique product, but will the Sharks bite? If Williams and Von Waaden have their numbers in order and can demonstrate at least some sales, they’ll field multiple offers. Lori could sell a ton of these on QVC, so she could get involved. Barbara, with all the kids in her life, will likely throw her hat in the ring as well. Mark, with his tech background might make a play too. Robert and Kevin may make token offers, but I don’t think they’ll do a deal. I think BellyBuds does a deal with the Sharks and a new generation of music lovers will look back fondly on this episode of Shark Tank.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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